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Gallup medical professionals and residents oppose National Guard deployment; city signals non-law-enforcement support
Summary
Medical professionals and residents urged the Gallup City Council to reject a National Guard deployment and prioritize housing, treatment and public-health interventions; City Manager said any Guard role under consideration would focus on construction and engineering training, not active law enforcement.
Mayor Marc DePauli opened the Feb. 24 meeting and acknowledged interest in a potential National Guard deployment; several speakers during public comment urged the Council to pursue public-health solutions instead.
Dr. Connie Liu, a local OB-GYN, presented a letter signed by 32 medical professionals opposing deployment and called for "permanent housing and the rehabilitation of existing structures" and for housing to be "connected with medical, behavioral health and social support" to reduce cold-exposure admissions and infection rates. She also urged support for medication-assisted treatment in jails and expanded youth programming and community violence intervention.
Geneva Shelton, a registered nurse at Gallup Indian Medical Center, asked the Council to define the desired outcomes of any Guard presence, warning that in her experience populations can be targeted when Guard units are on-site. Michael Daly, a community member and AA sponsor, said he opposed deployment and urged an emphasis on treatment, with incarceration as a later option when treatment fails.
City Manager Frank Chiapetti later told the Council staff are evaluating support options but clarified that proposed assistance would focus on "construction and engineering training rather than active law enforcement duties." The statement underscored the Council's continued deliberation and the administration's intent to limit military involvement to non-law-enforcement roles.
The discussion framed the issue as one of public safety strategy and service coordination rather than an immediate operational change: speakers and medical professionals emphasized housing, behavioral health services and continuity of care as alternatives to a security-focused response. The Council did not take formal action on deployment during the meeting and indicated future deliberations will occur at scheduled Council meetings.
